Optical: systems and elements – Diffusing of incident light
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-29
2002-08-13
Nguyen, Thong (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Diffusing of incident light
C359S290000, C359S831000, C349S064000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06433933
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present specification relates to display devices for mobile electronic devices. In particular the present specification relates to display devices utilizing micro-machine mirrors or charge controlled mirror devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Handheld computing devices, “palmtops”, or “palmhelds”, PDAs or handheld computers typically weigh less than a pound and fit in a pocket. These handhelds generally provide some combination of personal-information management, database functions, word processing and spreadsheets. Because of the small size and portability of handhelds, strict adherence to hardware constraints, such as display hardware constraints, must be maintained.
It is conventional to employ a Liquid Crystal display (LCD) or thin film transistor (TFT) display in computing devices such as handhelds. However, such displays may be undesirably bulky or may have undesirable power requirements. Further, TFT display LCD displays and the like may be undesirably costly.
Recent development has focused on creating displays using microelectro mechanical systems (MEMS) to provide reflective displays using micro-machine mirrors or charge controlled mirrors (CCMS) configured in an array to provide both monochrome and color displays for handheld computers and other types of displays. Such micro-machine mirror arrays may be used to provide high density, high resolution color displays. Many micro-machine mirrors are used in the array to represent a single pixel.
However, because the micro-machine mirrors are purely reflective displays, diffusion of the light reflected by the micro-machine mirrors is required in order to provide a useable and desirable field of view to the user. Accordingly, it is desirable to scatter or diffuse the light reflected by the mirrors before it reaches the user. Conventionally, to provide a micro-machine mirror display, a film diffuser would be applied at or near the surface of the display. Such overlaying film diffusers often have the disadvantage of causing the image reflected from the display to become blurred. Further, such thin film diffusers may not be aesthetically appealing and may become scratched or damaged.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus that utilizes micro-machine mirror technologies to provide a low cost, low power display solution. Further, there is a need for the method and apparatus using micro-machine mirrors which provides a highly reflective, clear, crisp image from the display utilizing diffusion such that the display does not provide a mirror-like image. Further still, there is a need for an apparatus that utilizes micro-machine mirrors in a display, the micro-machine mirrors including surface structures causing diffusion of light reflected by the mirrors. Yet further still, there is a need for an apparatus utilizing micro-machine mirrors that provides an improved field of view over conventional micro-machine mirror displays.
The techniques herein below extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the above-mentioned needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An exemplary embodiment relates to a video display. The video display includes a light source providing light for the video display. The video display also includes an array of charge controlled mirrors, each charge controlled mirror of the array being controlled by applying a charge, to selectively reflect light from the light source, dependent upon the applied charge, at least some of the charge controlled mirrors having a textured surface configured to cause reflective diffusion.
Another exemplary embodiment relates to a mobile electronic device. The mobile electronic device includes a processor, a communications bus coupled to the processor, and a light source. The mobile electronic device also includes a charge controlled mirror display. The charge controlled mirror display is coupled to the communications bus. The charge controlled mirror display includes an array of charge controlled mirrors, at least some of the charge controlled mirrors having a textured surface configured to cause reflective diffusion of light from the light source. The charge controlled mirrors have reflectance that is selectively controlled according to signals communicated along the communications bus.
Another exemplary embodiment relates to a charge controlled mirror for use in an electronic display device. The charge controlled mirror includes a selectively reflective surface. The charge controlled mirror also includes an electronic coupling to a selective power source. The selectively reflective surface is a substantially textured surface configured to cause diffusion of reflected light and is configured to change reflective properties based on charge provided by the electronic coupling.
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Foley & Lardner
Nguyen Thong
Palm Inc.
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